roughing it-第89章

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tropics　in　occasional　wakeful　intervals。

We　had　an　abundance　of　fruit　in　Honolulu；　of　course。　　Oranges；　pine…
apples；　bananas；　strawberries；　lemons；　limes；　mangoes；　guavas；　melons；
and　a　rare　and　curious　luxury　called　the　chirimoya；　which　is
deliciousness　itself。　　Then　there　is　the　tamarind。　　I　thought　tamarinds
were　made　to　eat；　but　that　was　probably　not　the　idea。　　I　ate　several；　and
it　seemed　to　me　that　they　were　rather　sour　that　year。　　They　pursed　up　my
lips；　till　they　resembled　the　stem…end　of　a　tomato；　and　I　had　to　take　my
sustenance　through　a　quill　for　twenty…four　hours。

They　sharpened　my　teeth　till　I　could　have　shaved　with　them；　and　gave　them
a　〃wire　edge〃　that　I　was　afraid　would　stay；　but　a　citizen　said　〃no；　it
will　come　off　when　the　enamel　does〃which　was　comforting；　at　any　rate。
I　found；　afterward；　that　only　strangers　eat　tamarindsbut　they　only　eat
them　once。




CHAPTER　LXIV。

In　my　diary　of　our　third　day　in　Honolulu；　I　find　this：

I　am　probably　the　most　sensitive　man　in　Hawaii　to…nightespecially　about
sitting　down　in　the　presence　of　my　betters。　　I　have　ridden　fifteen　or
twenty　miles　on　horse…back　since　5　P。M。　　and　to　tell　the　honest　truth；　I
have　a　delicacy　about　sitting　down　at　all。

An　excursion　to　Diamond　Head　and　the　King's　Coacoanut　Grove　was　planned
to…daytime；　4：30　P。M。the　party　to　consist　of　half　a　dozen　gentlemen
and　three　ladies。　　They　all　started　at　the　appointed　hour　except　myself。
I　was　at　the　Government　prison；　（with　Captain　Fish　and　another　whaleship…
skipper；　Captain　Phillips；）　and　got　so　interested　in　its　examination　that
I　did　not　notice　how　quickly　the　time　was　passing。　　Somebody　remarked
that　it　was　twenty　minutes　past　five　o'clock；　and　that　woke　me　up。　　It
was　a　fortunate　circumstance　that　Captain　Phillips　was　along　with　his
〃turn　out；〃　as　he　calls　a　top…buggy　that　Captain　Cook　brought　here　in
1778；　and　a　horse　that　was　here　when　Captain　Cook　came。　　Captain　Phillips
takes　a　just　pride　in　his　driving　and　in　the　speed　of　his　horse；　and　to
his　passion　for　displaying　them　I　owe　it　that　we　were　only　sixteen
minutes　coming　from　the　prison　to　the　American　Hotela　distance　which
has　been　estimated　to　be　over　half　a　mile。　　But　it　took　some　fearful
driving。　　The　Captain's　whip　came　down　fast；　and　the　blows　started　so
much　dust　out　of　the　horse's　hide　that　during　the　last　half　of　the
journey　we　rode　through　an　impenetrable　fog；　and　ran　by　a　pocket　compass
in　the　hands　of　Captain　Fish；　a　whaler　of　twenty…six　years　experience；
who　sat　there　through　the　perilous　voyage　as　self…possessed　as　if　he　had
been　on　the　euchre…deck　of　his　own　ship；　and　calmly　said；　〃Port　your
helmport；〃　from　time　to　time；　and　〃Hold　her　a　little　freesteadyso
so；〃　and　〃Luffhard　down　to　starboard！〃　and　never　once　lost　his　presence
of　mind　or　betrayed　the　least　anxiety　by　voice　or　manner。　　When　we　came
to　anchor　at　last；　and　Captain　Phillips　looked　at　his　watch　and　said；
〃Sixteen　minutesI　told　you　it　was　in　her！　　that's　over　three　miles　an
hour！〃　I　could　see　he　felt　entitled　to　a　compliment；　and　so　I　said　I　had
never　seen　lightning　go　like　that　horse。　　And　I　never　had。

The　landlord　of　the　American　said　the　party　had　been　gone　nearly　an　hour；
but　that　he　could　give　me　my　choice　of　several　horses　that　could　overtake
them。　　I　said；　never　mindI　preferred　a　safe　horse　to　a　fast　oneI
would　like　to　have　an　excessively　gentle　horsea　horse　with　no　spirit
whatevera　lame　one；　if　he　had　such　a　thing。　　Inside　of　five　minutes　I
was　mounted；　and　perfectly　satisfied　with　my　outfit。　　I　had　no　time　to
label　him　〃This　is　a　horse；〃　and　so　if　the　public　took　him　for　a　sheep　I
cannot　help　it。　　I　was　satisfied；　and　that　was　the　main　thing。　　I　could
see　that　he　had　as　many　fine　points　as　any　man's　horse；　and　so　I　hung　my
hat　on　one　of　them；　behind　the　saddle；　and　swabbed　the　perspiration　from
my　face　and　started。　　I　named　him　after　this　island；　〃Oahu〃　（pronounced
O…waw…hee）。　　The　first　gate　he　came　to　he　started　in；　I　had　neither　whip
nor　spur；　and　so　I　simply　argued　the　case　with　him。　　He　resisted
argument；　but　ultimately　yielded　to　insult　and　abuse。　　He　backed　out　of
that　gate　and　steered　for　another　one　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。
I　triumphed　by　my　former　process。　　Within　the　next　six　hundred　yards　he
crossed　the　street　fourteen　times　and　attempted　thirteen　gates；　and　in
the　meantime　the　tropical　sun　was　beating　down　and　threatening　to　cave
the　top　of　my　head　in；　and　I　was　literally　dripping　with　perspiration。
He　abandoned　the　gate　business　after　that　and　went　along　peaceably
enough；　but　absorbed　in　meditation。　　I　noticed　this　latter　circumstance；
and　it　soon　began　to　fill　me　with　apprehension。　　I　said　to　my　self；　this
creature　is　planning　some　new　outrage；　some　fresh　deviltry　or　otherno
horse　ever　thought　over　a　subject　so　profoundly　as　this　one　is　doing　just
for　nothing。　　The　more　this　thing　preyed　upon　my　mind　the　more　uneasy　I
became；　until　the　suspense　became　almost　unbearable　and　I　dismounted　to
see　if　there　was　anything　wild　in　his　eyefor　I　had　heard　that　the　eye
of　this　noblest　of　our　domestic　animals　is　very　expressive。

I　cannot　describe　what　a　load　of　anxiety　was　lifted　from　my　mind　when　I
found　that　he　was　only　asleep。　　I　woke　him　up　and　started　him　into　a
faster　walk；　and　then　the　villainy　of　his　nature　came　out　again。　　He
tried　to　climb　over　a　stone　wall；　five　or　six　feet　high。　　I　saw　that　I
must　apply　force　to　this　horse；　and　that　I　might　as　well　begin　first　as
last。　　I　plucked　a　stout　switch　from　a　tamarind　tree；　and　the　moment　he
saw　it；　he　surrendered。　　He　broke　into　a　convulsive　sort　of　a　canter；
which　had　three　short　steps　in　it　and　one　long　one；　and　reminded　me
alternately　of　the　clattering　shake　of　the　great　earthquake；　and　the
sweeping　plunging　of　the　Ajax　in　a　storm。

And　now　there　can　be　no　fitter　occasion　than　the　present　to　pronounce　a
left…handed　blessing　upon　the　man　who　invented　the　American　saddle。
There　is　no　seat　to　speak　of　about　itone　might　as　well　sit　in　a　shovel…
…and　the　stirrups　are　nothing　but　an　ornamental　nuisance。　　If　I　were　to
write　down　here　all　the　abuse　I　expended　on　those　stirrups；　it　would　make
a　large　book；　even　without　pictures。　　Sometimes　I　got　one　foot　so　far
through；　that　the　stirrup　partook　of　the　nature　of　an　anklet；　sometimes
both　feet　were　through；　and　I　was　handcuffed　by　the　legs；　and　sometimes
my　feet　got　clear　out　and　left　the　stirrups　wildly　dangling　about　my
shins。　　Even　when　I　was　in　proper　position　and　carefully　balanced　upon
the　balls　of　my　feet；　there　was　no　comfort　in　it；　on　account　of　my
nervous　dread　that　they　were　going　to　slip　one　way　or　the　other　in　a
moment。　　But　the　subject　is　too　exasperating　to　write　about。

A　mile　and　a　half　from　town；　I　came　to　a　grove　of　tall　cocoanut　trees；
with　clean；　branchless　stems　reaching　straight　up　sixty　or　seventy　feet
and　topped　with　a　spray　of　green　foliage　sheltering　clusters　of　cocoa…
nutsnot　more　picturesque　than　a　forest　of　collossal　ragged　parasols；
with　bunches　of　magnified　grapes　under　them；　would　be。

I　once　heard　a　gouty　northern　invalid　say　that　a　cocoanut　tree　might　be
poetical；　possibly　it　was；　but　it　looked　like　a　feather…duster　struck　by
lightning。　　I　think　that　describes　it　better　than　a　pictureand　yet；
without　any　question；　there　is　something　fascinating　about　a　cocoa…nut
treeand　graceful；　too。

About　a　dozen　cottages；　some　frame　and　the　others　of　native　grass；
nestled　sleepily　in　the　shade　here　and　there。　　The　grass　cabins　are　of　a
grayish　color；　are　shaped　much　like　our　own　cottages；　only　with　higher
and　steeper　roofs　usually；　and　are　made　of　some　kind　of　weed　strongly
bound　together　in　bundles。　　The　roofs　are　very　thick；　and　so　are　the
walls；　the　latter　have　square　holes　in　them　for　windows。　　At　a　little
distance　these　cabins　have　a　furry　appearance；　as　if　they　might　be　made
of　bear　skins。　　They　are　very　cool　and　pleasant　inside。　　The　King's　flag
was　flying　from　the　roof　of　one　of　the　cottages；　and　His　Majesty　was
probably　within。　　He　owns　the　whole　concern　thereabouts；　and　passes　his
time　there　frequently；　on　sultry　days　〃laying　off。〃　　The　spot　is　called
〃The　King's　Grove。〃

Near　by　is　an　interesting